Bob Ryley's Jackson NJ Viewpoint

Note To Jackson Mayor & Council: It's Not About Saving Government Jobs

It's been more than a year since I've posted here.  The article in this Friday's (May 22, 2009) Jackson Times about the refusal of Jackson Township to accept grass clippings, really disturbed me.  Don't get me wrong.  Anyone who knows me would tell you I have almost no interest in gardening and would pretty much flunk a course in lawn maintenance. 

But, what I do care about is paying more and getting less. And that is what the current administration of a Republican Mayor and 3-2 Democratic Township Council appear to be delivering.  Of course, the explanation given is that times are tough and there is no money.   They decorate the message with the usual claptrap about composting and how environmentally great it would be if everyone just bought mulching blades for their lawn mowers and learned how to compost on their own property.

Here's where I think the brain-trust at Town Hall gets it all wrong.  I worked there for five years so I know a little about how that complex affects your brain.  Big problem is you get insulated from the real problems of everyday folks working in the private sector. 

You know the moms and dads, and single parents, holding down two, three, even four jobs to make ends meet.  Many lost decent full time jobs.  Lots have lost benefits and especially health insurance.  Most live in the world of $20, $25, $50 and up co-pays for a visit to the doctor.

It's a different world than say the Public Works Director, or Council Member or even the Mayor experience.  Yes they have co-pays, but they are minimal.  And, they  can pretty much go as they please and easily schedule medical appointments.  And, I suspect they probably have time to mulch and compost too.  Most people I know in the private sector don't.

To add insult to injury, the Mayor tells us the town's refusal to accept grass clippings was a "no brainer" for him because he was able to come up with a proposed budget that had no lay-offs of township employees.  The exact quote in the Jackson Times reads as follows:

"What do you want to do: Do you want to lay off five employees, or do you want to accept grass clippings?" Reina posed. "It's a pretty tough decision for some people, but to me it's a no-brainer. By keeping employees, they can eat, they can pay their bills and people can go help their environment by buying mulching blades, and looking into alternative measures, such as organic gardening."

Earth To Mayor Reina and the Council:  It's not our job to help your employees pay their bills.  I don't want to lay off anyone.  I appreciate the hardship of being unemployed.  But, thousands of private sector employees have lost and continue to lose good jobs.  And here's the part that really bugs me. 

In the private sector, before the layoffs come, the corporate managers get tremendous increases in productivity.  They push, pressure, and squeeze more work out of the same workers.  Then they cut one or two.  They tell the rest they have to pick up the slack to keep the company above water.  Then another gets laid off and those still left are told they must to do more and work even harder.  And, to add a final kick in the butt, they get told that despite doing more and working hard, they'll be no raises this year.   That's the real world of 2009. 

I think most of the township workforce does a good job.  I also think the toughest part of their jobs often is dealing with politicians who have very little management experience or skills at running a real business.  They seem to have lots of experience and time to play political games to stay in power.

No one in the current leadership at town hall, the mayor, any member of council, or the township administrator, can tell me that they have secured any, any meaningful increases in Township Employee productivity.  They simply can't because they haven't measured it.  In the realm of "zero based budgeting" if your priority was to save Township jobs than you didn't construct a "zero based budget."

The current announcement makes it clear that grass-clippings will no longer be accepted in Jackson.  I left Township government at the end of 2005.  At that time we had a plan to re-locate the compost facility to some of the preserved land away from homes, but still on the Vista site.  What happened to that plan?  Residents and voters have a right to know. 

The Way To Vote In Jackson Next Tuesday

On Monday, May 5th I submitted the following letter to the editor of the Jackson Times. 

To The Editor Jackson Times:

Ken Seda (the Mayor’s brother) ran an ad in the Jackson Times last week. The ad recycled comments made by some Democrats, including myself, in 2005 and 2006 regarding the candidacy of Mike Kafton for Mayor.

I’m proud to have supported Sean Giblin and the Jackson First Coalition candidates in 2006. The Coalition included Democrats, Republicans and Independents who wanted to end the partisan bickering between Jackson's politicians.

I honestly felt Sean Giblin would make a better Mayor. I also felt the Coalition slate would be dragged down by a Kafton candidacy for mayor. In May of 2006 only six months would have passed since he plead guilty and accepted a conditional discharge on DUI and substance allegations. I felt that Mike needed to focus on his personal situation before running for office.

The council that was elected in ‘06 has given us an avalanche of "yes votes" supporting every knucklehead thing Seda's done. It's been one embarrassment after another.  Only recently, as a candidate for reelection, has Ingram expressed any disagreement with Seda. It seens like a clear attempt to divert attention from almost two years of “yes” votes for the mayor's proposals.   

Mark Seda, Emily Ingram, and the GOP bosses who fund them, only care about one thing.  That's keeping control of Jackson's government.  If they win just one seat they will still have a 3-2 majority and can continue to do as they please.  We can’t let that happen.  We need to break the 5-0 monopoly on the current council.

Next Tuesday I will vote for Mike Reina for council. I served on the Planning Board with Mike. We, along with the other members of the Board, worked hard to control development. There was no political bickering. I think Reina will serve on council in the same manner.

I will also vote for Mike Kafton and Mrs. Rivere.  In the summer of 2005 Mike Kafton made a mistake. Since then he paid his fine and fulfilled his obligations to clear the slate. It’s time to move on and talk about tomorrow and Jackson's’s future.

We need a council majority who will hold the mayor and administration accountable for the next two years.  We need to elect Reina, Kafton and Rivere next Tuesday. That’s how I’ll be voting. I hope everyone else does too.

Bob W. Ryley